Noted rock keyboardist Keith Emerson dies at age 71

British-born keyboardist Keith Emerson of the 1970s progressive rock band Emerson, Lake & Palmer died this week at the age of 71, the band said on Friday.

Emerson passed away on Thursday at his home in Santa Monica, California, according to a post on its Facebook page. The cause of death was not announced.

Born in 1944 in the Yorkshire village of Todmorden, Emerson was a keyboardist for a number of groups in the 1960s, including The Nice.

He was best known as a founding member of Emerson, Lake & Palmer - a so-called “supergroup” of well-known rock musicians formed in 1970.

In addition to Emerson, the band included bassist Greg Lake, formerly of King Crimson, and drummer and percussionist Carl Palmer, a veteran of several famous English bands.

“Keith was a gentle soul whose love for music and passion for his performance as a keyboard player will remain unmatched for many years to come,” said former bandmate Carl Palmer on his website.

“He was a pioneer and an innovator whose musical genius touched all of us in the worlds of rock, classical and jazz.”

The band released nine studio albums during the 1970s, including its debut self-titled album and its follow-up, Tarkus, released in 1971. The latter reached the top spot on the Billboard 200 chart, according to Billboard.com.

Emerson later worked as a solo artist and wrote an autobiography, Pictures of an Exhibitionist, in 2004.

Reuters